Electromagnetic elevator-door lock



w, 1. WIGMORE AND 0. H. FIDDES. ELECTROMAGNETIC ELEVATOR DOOR LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED AHLZI l9l9- Patented June 22, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- z m m IO'X nnunnmhl huu 5 40 a 7 3, b bwni z f %mvsmo WITNESS W. J. WIGMORE AND 0. H. FIDDES.

ELECTROMAGNETIC ELEVATORDOOR LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2. 1919.

1,344,430. Patented June 22, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

UNITED ST S "PATENT OFFICE;

WILLIAM J. WIGMORE, or QAKLANDQAN'D OSCAR H. FIDDES, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

, ELECTROMAGNETIC ELEVATOR-DOOR LOCK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM J. lVIe- MORE and OSCAR H. F IDDES, citizens of the.

United States, residing, the said WILLIAM J. German, in the city of Oakland, county of Alameda, and State of California, and the said Osonn l-l. FIDDES, in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California,

latch locking mechanism ofthe' door locks of full automatic elevators have been actu ated by an actuator such as cams, levers, rollers, etc, carried by the elevator car, said actuator mechanically manipulating said latch locking mechanism of the hatchwaydoor locks by coining'in direct contaet'with I same in its travel up or down the hatchway.

Our invention has for its object to simplify the manipulation of the latch locking mechanism-and eliminate theinumcrous'well known undesirable features thatare prevalent in the present type ofelevator hate-1r,

waydoor locks mechanically manipulated by an actuator carried by the elevator-car,

thus, the liability of certain partsthereof getting out of line,'wearing at" the points'of contact, undesirablenoise due'to the parts coming n contact, etc. I We have therefore been led to devise anelectro-magnetic actuator for the door lock mechanism, whereinthe said lock mechanism is responsive to I the magnetic lines of force emanating from 1 car, said electro-magnet effectually mimip'u an electro magnet; carried by the elevatorlating said door lock mechanism without coming in contact with same, or said door lock actuating mechanism being required to =be in perfectline with the lineof travel. of said electromagnetic actuator carried by the cargfthus,theprincipalundesirable fea Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June Application filed April 2,

1919. Serial NO. 287,090; i

tures which are prevalent in the present type of elevator hatchway-door locks now commonly inuse for elevators, to wit, the mechanical manipulation ofthe latch lock ing mechanism, and the liability of the said actuating mechanism to get out of order, is

eliminated. I

A further object is to provide a device of the above description inwhich the latch locking mechanismi thereof will not be required to be in mechanically correct line 1 with the line of travel of the actuator car- ,ried by the elevator-can A still further object is to provide an ele-.

I vator hatchway door lock, wherein certain elements ofthemer-hanism thereof, consists of material of high magnetic permeance and I wherein said'magnetical elements and the operation thereof being responsive to m 1 netic lines of forceemanating from an electro-magnetic actuator carried by an elevator-car; I I

A still'further object is to provide an elevator hatchway door lock, wherein certain elements of the latch locking mechanism thereof, consists of magnetic material, and wherein said magnetical elements and the operation thereof are responsive to magnetic lines of force emanating from an electro? magnet. I

' A still further objectis to provide an electro-magnetic actuator of the above description whereby the core thereof will be magnetized to its full magnetic density when, i first thrown in circuit and then after a given time a reduction in the number of magnetic 111168 of force of same is eflected.

A still further ObJBCt is to provide a time limit device that will automatically vary the ,magnetic density of the said electro-mag' netic actuator when same is in operation.

' A still further ob]ect is to provide a device of the above description, whereby the magnetic actuator for the door lock mecha-' nism will eXerta uniform magnetic pull on said lock mechanism, regardless of the position of said lock mechanism within the range of said magnetic actuator.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel combination of elements being designated in the claims appended. heretor p With these ends in View our invention consists in the details of construction and com binationof elements hereinafter set forth, and then specifically described by the claims.-

Its construction and operation will be de scribed in detail, reterring by numerals and lettersto the accompanying drawings torming a part of this specification, and in which similar numerals and letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all figures. A preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings, wherein-- lteferring to the several figures of the drawings :-Figure 1, is a broken fragmentary schematical view of an elevator car and elevator hatchway-door casing with our electro-magnetic door lock attached there to. Fig. 2, is a diagrammatic view of an electric elevator motor circuit with our device connected to same. Fig. 3, is a schematical view of the controlling apparatus designated by the numeral 12 in Fig. 2, consisting of parts 13 2-2. Fig. 4-, is an en larged broken fragmentary front elevation of an elevator door with a latch attached thereto. v

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used ti i designate the sidewalls of an ordinary elevator car with a multi-polar electro-magnet 7 attached thereto. An elevator hatchway door casing *2 is shown with a door lock 3 mortised in same, said.

lock 3 containing alatch aperture 4: inthe jamb thereof. The pole tips of the magnet net 7 and the controlling device designated by the numeral 12 otFig. 2 in circuit,the ends thereof of said wires 6 and 6 supplying current to magnet windings a through controlling device: 12, iiroin line wires a and c by connecting across the terminals of line switch 8. l-lumuals 1.3 and 1% show 1 .cores oi electro-inagnets, the same having pivoted armatures that swing as shown by the dotted lines. The letters 0 and (Z designate the energizing windings "for the magnet cores 13 and 1.4, and theletters c and f noninductive resistances. Contacts 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 open and closecircuits for the various magnet coils and resistances shown in Fig. Abroken fragmentary section of an elevator door 18 shown at 23 with a latch 24 attached tosame.

In carrying out our invention we 'pret erably employ a multi-polar eleetro-mag net attached to the elevator car, although a plurality of bipolar electro-magnets will answer the same purpose. :The coils of themagnet are wound so as to have a low resistance compared to the voltage of the circuit to which the same are attached, so that when the circuit is closed through them a large rushof current will result, and produce a suilicient number of ampere turns to magnetize the core to the saturation limit. After the core has been energized to the saturation limit for about a second or so, a resistance is inserted in series with the winding of same and of sufficient ohms to cut the current down and reduce the number of magnetic lines or force in said core. An automatic time limit device shown in cuts in and-out the resistance automatically when this device is in operation. An ordinary door lock and latch is used, the same now commonly in use for mechanically operated locks, only that an armature ofmagnetic material is-attached to the rod that actuates the latch locking dog. The said armature being of sufiicient volume to carry the necessary lines of force to lower the reluctance of the magnetic lield of the magnet, so'thatthesame will be attracted with the necessarypull to operate the lock. We preferably connect the terminals of thetime limit device to terminals of the potential switch as shown in Fig; 2, or the same can be connected to any other part of the motor controlling mechanism that will short outer cut out same only when the elevator car is in motion, and cut in only when the ear comes to a dead stop. The magnet is attached. to the eleva-- tor cage, so that when the car is flush with the floor or landing the armature attached to i the lock will come in the center of the mag net. The latch locking dog 0 1s held in place asshown'in Fig; 1 by a spring or by out the magnet will do denergized and "when the car is passing the locks at the differentfloors, the same will not respond to the magnet and remain closed. The resistance of the magnet 7 isabout 1,000 ohms, the same passing approximately one-quarter of an ampere when straight across the line on 220 volts, and has a resistance of approximately 2,000 ohms passing one-eight of an ampere with the resistance cut in series with same. The coil 7 will be in series with the motor when the potential switch 8 is open, but as the conductance of the motor is so high, the resistance thereof being only a fraction of, a nohm, there will be practically no drop of potential across the'terminalsthereof when same is effecting'a closure of the circuit for the coil 7. A current of onee ghth oi an ampere passing through a motor with a reslstance of only a fraction of an ohm will not produce a sufficient drop of potential across the terminals thereof to keepsame in operation when thepotential switch '8 is I open, therefore the motor will beinoperative when the coil 7 is in operation and in series with said motor. It is obvious that when the potential switch Sis opened'the motor and the elevatorcar will stop and simultaneously the-magnet will'be energized, as the circuit connecting thereto will be in series-withthe armature and fields of the motor, closing a complete cir-- 'cuit to the line. VVhen the' car stops at a landing the magnet 7 will be opposite-the lock and simultaneous with the closing down of the motor the magnet'will be energized, and attract the armature 5 and actuate the latch locking dog'6 unlocking thelock; the

elevator door canthenjbe opened. Thearmature 5 will hold the lock open until the motor is again started and the car in motion. The latch 24L is attached to the door 23, and when said 'door is closed, the latch will be within the lock'3 said latch locking dog 6 shown bysthe dotted line in Fig. '1 rides on top; of said latch-24 when same is within the lock 3 which looks the door until said latch locking dog 6is removed.

*It' is a'recognized fact that in full "automatic elevators that they do not always stop exactly 'flush with the landingdue to varied l,oads-,fstretching of the cables, slipping of the brakes, etc.; it 'isevident then, that if the car should h'appen'to slide beyond the floor when-stopping at a landingfin either the up or down direction andj'onlya single pole magnet were employed the armature 5 would be out of range of the magnet 7 and thelock rendered inoperative, therefore we employ an elect'ro-magnet with a plurality. of magnetic poles'extending for a suific'ientdistance in linewith the travel of saidmagnet 7 to give the elevator-cara leeway of about six inches in'both directions, which in all ;cases isnecessary It is obvious then that wherever the armature 5 happensto come relation to themagn'et 7 within the range thereof, that a pull will be exerted on same sufficient to effectually and positively manipulate the'latch locking 7 mechani'sm attached thereto; The armature -5 shown 'in the drawing Fig; 1, is of'sufii- 'cient area to come within the rangeoi. a plurality of said poles, thus themagnetic circuit will close through said armature 5 at all-points in its travel within the range of themagnet 7,;as the length "of said armature 5 is sufficient to come within the range of'some of the said poles; with a single magnet such would not'be the case, as the armature 5 would deviate from the neutral point of the magnetic lines of force emanating fromthe magnet, increasing the reluctance, I

which would reduce the pull on said armature impairing the positiveness of the latch locking mechanism. Only a slight increase in the reluctance would result in varying the pull on the armature 5, resulting in effe'cting the uncertainty of the operativeness.

of the latch locking mechanism and mm dering the device noncommercial."

{In circuit" with the winding of the magnet 7 is an electro-magnet 14 with -vious that the high inductance of the coil d will not pass the sudden large rush of current whichawill result from the high conductance of the circuit, and saidcurrent .will be shunted through the low noninductive resistance, which will retard the action of th'e armature 16 and cause it to lag behind the energizingof magnet 7. When the armature 16 draws inwhich is after the magnet 7 is energized it cuts in multiple with coil 01 another coil ,0 of a similar magnet'13 by making-conta'ct with contact 17 and energizing said coil. When the magnet 13 is energized the armature 15 of same breaks circuit at contacts-20 and 21 cutting in a resistancee which is connected across same into the line b and simultaneously breaks circuit at the contacts 18'and' 19 which opens mid-point tap g of resistance f and inserts section art of same in series 'With'section bb which decreases the conductance of the noninductive circuit in multiple with coils (land 0 which st'rengthens them sufiiciently to positively retain armatures 15'and 16 in place. It is obvious from the" foregoing that the noninductive shunt placed in multiple with the magnet winding (Z will retard the action of the 'arrnature' of same sufficiently to give the magnet 7' full current for ashor't space of time before the resistance a is cut into-circuit to'weaken same. When the switch 8 is opened the magnet 7 will first take a heavy current to magnetize same to the saturation limit for the purpose of overcoming the inertia ofthe lock mechanism'and to insure a positive opening of same, before the resistance 6 is inserted n circuit to cut down the current; only a fraction of the current is required to keep the lock open after it is once unlocked.

\Vhile we have illustrated and described the preferred construction and arrangements of the various parts, it will be obvious from the foregoing description that the device is'susceptible of zconsiderable modification, without departing from the essential features or sacrificing, any of the advantages thereof as comewithinthe scope of the,claimsappended thereto.

HavingeXplained.the nature of this invention and fully described construction embodying the several features thereof, what \veclaim is i 1 p a i. In a device of the above description, the combination of an electromagnetic actuator carried by an elevator-car, an elevator hatchway-do'or lock the mechanism thereof being responsive to the energizing of said electro magnetic actuator, a means of energizing said electro-magnetic actuator to a given magnetic density and then decreasing said magnetic density ofsame, and said electro-magnetic-actuator consisting of a plurality of magnetic pole-sv of like and unlike polarity. i a i a i 2. In a device 'of the above description, the combination of an electro-magnetic actuator carriedcby an elevator-car, an elevator hatehway-door lock the mechanism thereof being responsive to the energizing of said electroemagnetic actuator, a"means of energizlng said electromagnetic actuator to agiven magnetlc density and then decreasing said magnetic density of same, said electro-magne'tic actuator consisting of a plurality of magnetic poles of like and'unlike polarity, and a means of energizing said electro-magnetic actuator only when said elevator car is at rest. g i i 3. In a device of the above description, the combination of an electro-magnet-ic actuatormcarried by: an elevatoncar, an elevator hatchway-door lock the mechanism thereof being responsive to the energizing of said electro-magnetic actuator, ameans of energizing said electro-magnetic actuator to a given magnetic density and then decreasing said magnetic density of same, said electro-magnetic actuator consisting of a plurality of magnetic poles of likeand unlike polarity, and said electro'magnetic actuator provided with a time-limit means for effecting said decrease in magnetic density. a 4. Ina device of the above description, the combination of an electromagnetic ac tuator carried, by an elevator-car, an elevator hatchway-door lock the mechanism thercof being responsiveto the energizing of :said electro-magnetic actuator, a means of energizing said electromagnetic actuator to'a given magnetic density and then decreasing said magnetic density of same, said electro-magnetic actuator. consisting of a plurality of magnetic poles of like and unlike polarity, said electro-magnetic actuator provided with a time-limit means for effecting said decrease in magnetic density, and a means of energizing said electro-magnetic actuator only whensaid elevator'caris at rest. i t

5. In a deviceflof the. above description, the combination: of an electro-magnetic actuator carried by an elevator-car, an elevator hatchway-door lock, an armature of magnetic material attached: to the mechanism of said lock, the actuation of said lock mechanism being responsive tothe magnetic attraction of said armature by said electromagnetic actuator, and said; electro-magnetic actuator consisting of a plurality of a magnetic poles of like and unlike polarity.

6. In a device of the above description, the combination of an electro-magnetic ac,- tuator carried by an elevator-car, an elevator hatchway door lock, an armature of magnetic material attached to the mechanism of saidlock, the actuation of said lock mechanism being responsive to the magnetic attraction of said armature by said electromagneticactuator, said electro-magnetic actuator consisting of a plurality of magnetic poles of like and unlike polarity, and a means of energizing said electro-ma'gnetic actuator only when said elevator-car is at rest. I v f a 7. Inadevice of the above description, the combination of an electromagnetic actuator carried by an elevatoncar, "an elevator hatchWay-door lock, an armature of magnetic material attached to thelocking mechanism of said lock, the actuation of said lock mechanism being responsive to the magnetic attraction of said armature by saidelectro-magnetic actuator, said electromagnetic actuator'consistingfof a plurality of magnetic poles of like and unlike polarity, and said armature of sufficient area to come within the range of a plurality of said magnetic poles of different polarity.

8. In a device of the above description, the combination of anelectro-magnetic actuator carried by an elevator-car, an elevat'or hatchway-doorlock, an armature of magnetic material attached to the locking mechanismof saidlock, the actuation of said lock mechanism being responsive to the magnetic attraction of said armature by said electro-magnetic actuator, said electromagnetic actuator consisting of a plurality of magnetic poles of like and unlike polarity, said armature of sufiicient area to come within the range of a plurality of said mag? netic poles of different polarity, and a means of energizing said electro-mag-netic actuator only when said car is at rest.

a 9. In a device ofthe above description, the combination of an electro-magnetic aetuator carried by an elevator car, an elevator hatchWay-door look, a latch adapted to enter said lock, said lock containing a latch looking mechanism, an armature of magnetic material attached to said latch locking mechanism, the actuation of said latch locking mechanism being responsive to the attraction, of said armature by said electro-magnetic actuator, said electro-magnetic actuator consisting of a plurality of magnetic poles of like and unlike polarity, and said armature of sufficient area to come Within the range of a plurality of said poles of different polarity.

10. In a device of the above description, the combination of anelectro-magnetic actuator carried by an elevator-car, an elevator hatchWay-door look, a latch adapted to enter said lock, said lock containing a latch looking mechanism,'an armature of magnetic material attached to said latch locking mechanism, the actuation of said latch looking mechanism being responsive to the attraction of said armature by said electromagnetic actuator, said electro-magnetic actuator consisting of a plurality of magnetic poles of like and unlike polarity, said armature of sufficient area to'come Within the range of a plurality of said magnetic poles of different polarity, and a means of energizing said electro-magnetic actuator only when said elevator-car is at rest.

11. In a device of the above description, the combination of an electro-magnetic actuator carried by an elevator-car, an elevator hatchway door look, a latch adapted to enter said lock, said lock containing a latch locking mechanism, an armature of magnetic material attached to said latch locking 1nechanism,the actuation of said latch locking mechanism being responsive to the attraction of said armature by said electromagnetic actuator, said electromagnetic actuator consisting of a plurality of magnetic poles of like and unlike polarity, said armature of suflicient area to come Within the range of a plurality of said magnetic poles of like and unlike polarity, a means of energizing said electro-magnetic actuator to a given magnetic density and then decreasing said magnetic density of same, and a means of energizing said electro-magnetic actuator only When said elevator-car is at rest.

12. In a device of the above description, the combination of an electro-magnet1c actuator carried by an elevator-car, an elevator hatchway-door lock, a latch adapted to enter said lock, said lock containing a latchlocking mechanism, an armature of magnetic material attached to said latch locking mechanism, the actuation of said latch locking mechanism being responsive to the attraction of said armature by said electromagneticactuator, said electro-magnetic actuator consisting of a plurality of magnetic poles of like and unlike polarity, said armature ofsufiicient area to come Within the range of a plurality of said magnetic poles of different polarity, a means of energizing said electro-magnetic actuator to a given magnetic density and then decreasing said magnetic density of same, said electromagnetic actuator provided With a timelimit' means for. effecting said decrease in magnetic density, and a means of energizing said electro-magnetic actuator only When said elevator-car is at rest.

13. In a device of the above description, the combination of an electro-magnet carried by an elevator-car, anelevator hatch- Way-door look mechanism responsive to the energizing of said electro-magnet, a means of energizing said electro-magnet to a given magnetic density and then decreasing said magnetic density of same, said electro-magnetic provided With a time-limit means for effecting said decrease in magnetic density, and a means of energizing said electromagnet only When said elevator-car is at rest.

14. In a device of the above description, the combination of an electro-magnet carried by an elevator-car, an elevator hatch- Way-door lock the mechanism thereof responsive to the energizing of said electromagnet, and a means of energizing said electro-magnet to a given magnetic density andthen decreasing said magnetic density of same. i i i 15. Ina device of the above description the combination of an electro-magnet carried by an elevator-car, an elevator hatch- Way-door lock the mechanism thereof responsive to the energizing of said electromagnet, a means of energizing said electromagnet to a given magnetic density and then 

